Framework for Learning Improves Attendance & Achievement
  During Attendance Awareness Month, we'll be running several guest blogs from allies who are working to improve school attendance and student achievement. Windy Lopez, Director of CommunityAffairs for Scholastic, contributed this post about the extraordinary work going on in Gainesville, Georgia. The blog post originally appeared on Scholastic's blog Frizzle. How can students benefit from effective classroom teaching if they are chronically late and often not in the classroom at all?  Research continues to demonstrate the direct correlation... ... More »

The Attendance Imperative: State Policy & Chronic Absence
With as many as 7.5 million U.S. students missing nearly a month of school each year, state education leaders have begun mining attendance data to find out how many students and schools are at risk academically and how to turn around absenteeism as early as pre-kindergarten, according to a report released today by Attendance Works. For as long as teachers have taken the roll, schools have recorded attendance data. But most schools and districts treat monitoring absenteeism... ... More »

Great lessons from Arkansas Campaign for Grade-Level Reading Week
Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe recently proclaimed August 12-16 to be  Arkansas Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (AR-GLR) week.  Governor Beebe was pleased to make the proclamation because of his commitment to increasing educational achievement in the state. The Campaign used AR-GLR Week to generate new energy and interest in the goal of all Arkansas children reading proficiently by the end of third grade. The week was launched with the video release of the Governor’s proclamation read by... ... More »

Attendance Awareness Month Brings New Research, Efforts
Here's a guest post from our friends at Attendance Works: One of the most important messages we hope to convey in the first-ever nationwide Attendance Awareness Month this September is that absenteeism is a problem long before students start skipping school in high school. New research released today drives home that point, detailing how chronic absence as early as prekindergarten can keep children from acquiring key literacy and math skills. And a news story out of Pittsburgh... ... More »

Give With Target! Raise Money for Schools
Target is again launching the Give With Target back-to-school education giving initiative on Facebook. As part of this program, Target and celebrity partners will ask guests to help donate $5 million to schools nationwide to give teachers and students the resources they need. Starting today, guests can visit Target's Facebook page to vote for the school of their choice once a week. When a school receives 25 votes, Target will donate $1 per vote, with a maximum donation of $10,000... ... More »